System and device in a printing machine for adjusting the position of sheets of paper



27, 1970 SHIGERU SHIMIZU 3,536,322 SYSTEM AND DEVICE 'IN A PRINTING MACHINE FOR ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF SHEETS OF PAPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mv mw NH 3 3 m 2 mm Filed Aug. 21, 1968 1970 SHIGERU SHIMIZU 3536352 SYSTEM AND DEVICE IN A PRINTING MACHINE FORYADJUSTING THE POSITION OF SHEETS OF PAPER Filed Aug. 21, 1968 I 3 Sheets-Shasta Oct. 27, 1970 SHIGERU SHIMIZU 3,53 2

SYSTEM AND DEVICE IN A PRINTING MACHINE FOR ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF SHEETS OF PAPER Filed Aug. 21, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet a .Iam' 4-- United States Patent O SYSTEM AND DEVICE IN A PRINTING MACHINE FOR ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF SHEETS OF PAPER Shigeru Shimizu, Osaka, Japan, assignor to Hamada Printing Press Mfg. Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan Filed Aug. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 754,389 Claims priority, application Japan, Aug. 30, 1967 (utility model), 42/ 73,772 Int. Cl. B65h 7/10 US. Cl. 271-59 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a system and device in a printing machine for adjusting the position of sheets of paper to be fed into the printing machine. Said system comprises the first step to upwardly suck the sheet by means of a suction mechanism of vacuum type and the second step to urge and run one edge of the sheet sucked against one adjusting face of a position adjusting plate by means of transfer of said suction mechanism toward said position adjusting plate, thereby feeding sheets of paper in proper positions into the printing unit.

The present invention relates to a system and device in a printing machine for adjusting the position of sheets of paper to be fed into the printing machine, and more particularly to a system and device for adjusting the position of sheets of paper to be fed into a printing unit of a printing machine by sucking the sheets with a suction mechanism of vacuum type and urging and running one side edge of each sheet against a position adjusting plate.

Generally, in a printing press of sheet fed type, sheets of paper to be sent forward one sheet after another from a sheet supply unit through a transfer unit are stopped for a moment before they are fed into the printing press in order to achieve desired timing between the operation of feeding sheets into the press and printing operation performed by the machine. However, in case the sheet is not fed in proper position, so called misregistry takes place. Therefore, various attempts have so far been made to eliminate defects such as misregistry by correcting the position of the sheet while it is halted for a moment.

To adjust the sheet to a proper position, for example, there is proposed a method in which the sheet is nipped by rollers from above and under and the one side edge of the sheet is then urged against a position adjusting plate, or another method in which by an idle roller and block which is movable back and forth, a sheet is nipped, one edge of the sheet thereafter being urged against a position adjusting plate by backward and forward movement of the block. Or according to another proposal, the sheet is supplied between a stationary block and another block adapted to be moved back and forth in nipping engagement therewith and one side edge of the sheet is urged against a positioning plate by the backward and forward movement of the latter to bring the sheet in a proper position.

However, in case weak paper or a thin sheet of paper is fed in a prior art method or device, creases may be produced in one side margin of the sheet which is urged against the position adjusting plate, or the side portion may be bent, and desired positioning of sheets of paper can not be effected. As a result, satisfactory printing operation can not be carried out due to misregistry and the like.

In order to eliminate these defects, the inventor has conducted patient studies and accomplished the device of the present invention. With this apparatus, the disadvantages as above-mentioned have perfectly been overcome.

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A principal object of the present invention is to provide a suction mechanism of vacuum type by which even weak or thin sheets of paper are sucked quickly, easily and precisely, thereby achieving proper positioning of the sheets to be fed to effect satisfactory printing operation regardless of quality, size, or type of the paper.

Another object of the present invention is to perfectly eliminate defects such as creases or bending in the edge portions of sheets which are brought into contact with position adjusting plate by sucking the edge portions from above with a suction mechanism of vacuum type. With a conventional method or device, the sheet is nipped by rollers or blocks approximately at the center thereof, so that when it is urged against a positioning plate, creases or bending tends to be produced in the side edge. However, in accordance with the present invention, one side edge of the sheet is sucked directly from above, and accordingly, the sheet is less susceptible to the foregoing defects.

Another object of the present invention is to improve conventional devices, simplify the mechanism thereof and substantially reduce the troubles involved in adjustment needed thereto, since conventional devices not only in volve complicated mechanisms such as rolls or blocks, driving and other associated means but also require procedure to adjust these mechanisms in accordance with the quality of the sheets of paper to be fed.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing part of a printing unit of a printing machine having a sheet supply unit, transfer device and a device for adjusting the position of sheets of paper to be fed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the device for adjusting the position of the sheets to be fed of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along the line IIII in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view in section showing the main body of a suction mechanism of the position adjusting mechanism for sheets of paper to be fed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view in section showing a timing valve of the suction mechanism.

A rod 2 is so adapted as to make one reciprocating motion in response to one revolution of a cylinder 1. One end of the rod 2 is pivotally connected to one end of a crank 6 the other end of which is secured to a shaft 5 which is adapted to be driven through a gear group 4 by a driving gear 3. The other end of the rod 2 is pivotally connected to a portion of a lever 7, the portion being away from a supporting point 8 thereof. On one end of the lever is pivotally mounted a plate cam 9 which is adapted to be brought into reciprocating movement in directions shown by an arrow in FIG. 1. In contact with a cam surface 10 of the plate cam 9 is a roller 11 mounted on a pivotal member 13 which is adapted to be pivotally moved on a pivot 12 in the directions of an arrow 1) in FIG. 2, one end of the pivotal member 13 being linked to an axis 14. This linkage is effected by loosely inserting one end of the pivotal member 13 into a space (not shown) in a receiving member 15 attached to the end of the axis 14. With this structure, the axis 14 is adapted to be moved into reciprocating movement in the directions indicated by an arrow c in FIG. 2.

A suction mechanism of vacuum type comprises a main body 16 and a timing valve 17. The main body 16 of the suction mechanism has a sheet suction plane 21 on a bottom wall of a vacuum chamber 18, the wall 20 being formed with a required number of air inlets 19. The upper end of an air inlet duct 22 is communicated with the vacuum chamber 18 at the opening in one end of the bottom wall 20 of the vacuum chamber 18. As shown in FIG. 5, the above-mentioned timing valve 17 consists of a stationary member 23 and a pivotal member (movable member) 24, a protruding axis 25 projected from the central portion of the stationary member 23 being loosely penetrated through a penetrating hole 26 in the pivotal member 24. The pivotal member 24 is adapted so as to be moved pivotally on the protruding axis 25. Between a flange 27 of the axis 25 and the pivotal member 24 is interposed a spring 28 which serves to constantly bring the pivotal member into pressing contact with the stationary member.

Respectively formed in the contacting surfaces of the members 23 and 24 are openings 29 and 29 of an identical square shape. The opening 29 in the member 23 is com municated with a penetrating hole 30 in the member 23, while the opening 29 in the member 24 is communicated with a penetrating hole 31 in the member 24. The penetrating hole 30 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) and the penetrating hole 31 is joined to the air inlet duct 22. On the protruding end of the pivotal member 24 is rotatably mounted a roller 32 which is pressed by a spring 34 against a cam 33 mounted on the shaft 5.

Due to the rotation of the cam 33 driven by the shaft 5, the pivotal member 24 is turned on the protruding axis 25, whereby the opening 29 in the stationary member 23 and the opening 29 in the member 24 are communicated with each other. Thus, the two openings can be communicated when so desired.

With the structure described above, the vacuum chamber 18, upon the timing valve 17 being actuated, is brought into air inhaling action when desired. On one end of a connecting plate 35 protruding from one side end of the main body 16 of the suction mechansm is attached a boss 36, into which the axis 14 is penetrated, the position of the main body 16 relative to the axis 14 being made adjustable by a screw 37. In a desired portion of the connecting plate 35 is formed a guide hole into which a guiding rod 38 is loosely penetrated in parallel with the axis 14.

On the other hand, a position adjusting plate 39 for the sheets of paper to be fed has an L-shaped section and comprises a horizontal plate 40 and a vertical plate 41, the horizontal plate 40 being positioned at a level lower than the aforementioned suction plane with a conveyor belt 42 positioned thereon. Between the belt and the suction plane is a space 43 for adjusting the position of sheets to be fed. In a desired portion of the vertical plate 41 is formed a penetrating guide hole 44 for guiding the passage of the vacuum chamber 18.

A plane 45 for correcting the position of the sheets is provided on the vertical plate 41 on the side of the space 43, and from the opposite side thereof, a screw 46 for adjusting the position of the position adjusting plate is projected. In like manner, a pin 47 for adjusting the position of the positioning plate is projected. In parallel with the axis 14 is mounted a supporting rod 48 providing the aforementioned pivot 12 at an end thereof. The supporting rod 48 is penetrated through a boss50 at an end of a base plate 49 for adjusting the position of the position adjusting plate and be means of a screw 51, the position of the base plate 49 with respect to the supporting rod 48 can be adjusted. The previously mentioned screw 46 is inserted through a penetrating hole in the base plate 49. A nut 52 is screwed on the inserted end of the screw and a spring 53 is interposed between the base plate 49 and the vertical plate 41, while another spring is interposed between the base plate and a spring holder 54 on the end of the pin 47 inserted through the penetrating hole in the base plate, so that by adjusting the screw-thread engagement between the screw 46 and nut 52, the position of the position adjusting plate 39 relative to the base plate 49 can be adjusted finely.

Into guide holes 56 and 56 in the base plate 49 are respectively penetrated the axis 14 and the guiding rod 38. A roll 57 of the conveyor belt 42 is disposed under one end of the horizontal plate 40 of the position adjusting plate. In the drawing, the numeral 58 indicates a curved edge at an end of the base plate 49; 59, a guide for guiding the sheets of paper and for preventing the same from being raised up.

In accordance with the present invention, a sheet of paper A carried forward on the conveyor belt 42 from a sheet supply unit 60 is halted for a moment by a stopper 61 provided in front of the cylinder 1 in the printing unit. The stopper 61 is positioned between the cylinder 1 and a pair of guide rails 62 and 62 for forwarding the sheet in nipping engagement therewith and adapted to be upwardly projected through a penetrating opening in a guide plate 63 to detain the sheet When desired. That is to say, in order to achieve timing bet-ween printing by the printing machine and feeding of a sheet thereto by a known mechanism and method, it is intended that the sheet may be instantaneously stopped by the stopper.

As above described, when the sheet of paper is stopped for a moment by the stopper 61, the shaft 5 is driven through the gear group 4 by the rotation of the drive gear 3 which rotates together with the cylinder 1 thereby moving, through the crank 6, the rod 2 in one direction, whereupon by means of the lever 7, the plate cam 9 is pushed forward to pivotally move the pivotal member 13 toward one direction through a roller 11 which is in contact with the cam surface. As a result the axis 14 is moved in one direction, and in response thereto, the main body 16 of the suction mechanism attached to the axis by means of the connecting plate 35, particularly the vacuum chamber 18, is moved in one direction while it is being inserted through the penetrating guide hole 44 in the vertical plate 41 of the position adjusting plate 39. On the other hand, due to the rotation of the cam 33 effected by the rotation of the shaft 5, the pivotal member 24 is pivotally moved through the roller 32 which is pressed against the cam, whereupon the two openings 29 and 29 in the pivotal member 24 and the stationary member 23 are communicated with each other thereby causing the vacuum pump to communicate with the vacuum chamber 18 through the air inlet duct 22. This communication, synchronized with the travel of the main body 16 of the suction mechanism, permits the vacuum chamber 18 to perform sucking action.

Now, a sheet of paper A to be fed into the machine is located in the space 43 for adjusting the feeding position, the sheet being instantaneously halted by the stopper 61. The vertical width of the space 43 is approximately several times as large as the thickness of the sheet of paper. When the main body 16 of the suction mechanism is moved, the sheet A is drawn onto the suction plane 21 defining the space '43 due to sucking action effected through the air inlets 19 of the vacuum chamber 18. Furthermore, owing to the movement of the above-mentioned rod 2 in the opposite direction, the axis 14 is urged toward the opposite direction through the movement of the lever 7, plate cam 9 and pivotal member 13, whereupon the main body 16 of the suction mechanism, particularly vacuum chamber 18, is moved in the opposite direction while it is being inserted through the penetrating guide hole 44. With this movement, one side edge of the sheet A which has been drawn onto the suction plane 21 is urged against the position adjusting plane 45 of the vertical plate 41 of the position adjusting plate 39. Upon the side edge being urged against the plane, the pivotal member 24 is pivotally moved due to the rotation of the shaft 5 and cam 33 through the roller 32 which is pressed against the cam, thereby interrupting the communication between the two openings 29 and 29, namely, the opening 29 of the stationary member 23 being brought into contact with the portion of the pivotal member 24 other than the opening. As a result, the communication between the vacuum pump and the vacuum chamber is interrupted. The sucking action of the vacuum chamber 18 is therefore halted and the sheet A which has been urged against the position adjusting plane 45 while drawn to the suction plane 21 is now allowed to leave the plane 21 to rest on the conveyor belt 42. In this manner in accordance 'with the present invention, the sheet of paper sucked by a suction mechanism of vacuum type is urged against the position adjusting plane 45 with one side edge thereof brought into contact therewith while the sheet is being. sucked, thus correcting the position of the sheet A to be fed, whereupon the sheet is released from the plane 45 and delivered onto the conveyor belt 42 to be fed onto a cylinder of the printing unit. Accordingly, paper sheets of any quality, any kind or any size, including weak or thin paper, can be adjusted to position, the sheets thus properly positioned thereafter being fed onto the cylinder in printing unit, whereby satisfactory printing operation can be achieved free of misregistry.

In case of prior art method, in panticular, sheets of paper, when forcibly urged against a positioning plate by means of rollers or blocks, are forced to move toward the direction of hitting the plate along with the rollers or blocks, so that with Weak or thin sheet of paper, defects such as bending or creases are observed to develop in the side edge to be brought into contact with the plate.

However, unlike in the conventional method, the sheet in case of the present invention is not forcibly nipped on both sides thereof but only one side thereof, namely only the upper surface is sucked to the suction surface 21 and the sheet is then urged against the position adjusting plane 45 in this state. Should the sheet be further drawn forward beyond the predetermined position to which it is to be adjusted, the side edge thereof would be prevented from passing beyond the position in contact with the position adjusting plane 45 and from advancing together with the vacuum chamber 18. In this case, the sheet is detained in the specified position (i.e. position in which the side edge thereof is kept in contact with the adjusting plane 45) relative to the vacuum chamber 18 or the suction plane 21, while the suction plane 21 is slid or moved relatively to the sheet contacting plane. Accordingly, the present invention protects even the sheets of paper having the foregoing special quality against creases or bending and assures them of proper feeding position. Since proper positioning is effected by a vacuum method by which the sheet is sucked onto the suction plane, the sucking force of the vacuum chamber 18 can readily be adjusted depending upon the quality of paper such as strength, thickness, or the size of the sheet to draw the sheet onto the suction plane 21 with a sucking force in accordance with the quality, kind or the like, whereby any sheet of paper regardless of its kind or quality can always be sucked to the suction plane 21 in quick, simple and precise operation, and the sheet thus sucked to the plane can be adjusted to the proper feeding position. As compared with conventional methods, more precise and stable operation can be ensured in adjusting one side edge of the sheet to proper position.

Furthermore the vacuum method employed protects the sheets against possible smudge or stains. Even when dust or the like is attached to the suction plane 21, such dust or other impurities are drawn into the vacuum chamber 18 through a plurality of air inlets 19 upon suction of the sheets, thus keeping the sheet to be drawn onto the suction plane free of smudge or stains.

According to the present invention, when the sheet of paper in transit is stopped for a moment by the stopper 61, the sheet A is positioned within the space 43 and simultaneously with this, the main body 16 of the suction mechanism located above the sheet A is moved in one direction through means which is actuated by the rotation of the cylinder 1, which further actuates the timing valve 17 to permit the vacuum chamber 18 to suck the underlying sheet A. Immediately thereafter, the main body 16 of the suction mechanism is moved in the reverse direction thereby urging the side edge of the sheet against the position adjusting plane 45 to adjust the feeding position of the sheet, whereupon the timing valve 17 operates to terminate the sucking action of the vacuum chamber 18 thus releasing the sheet from the suction plane. A series of these operations are carried out in mutually synchronized manner, Since the position adjustment of the sheet in accordance with the present invention is performed by suction of vacuum method, the respective operations are synchronized in extremely simple mechanisms thereby ensuring easy, rapid and reliable performance with almost no adjustment of respective operating mechanisms. With extremely rapid positioning of sheets as above described, the feeding of the sheets onto the cylinder in the printing unit of the printing machine can be carried out in a markedly rapid op eration, which, when the device of the invention is applied to a high-speed printing machine, remarkably improves printing speed and effect of printing operation.

The above-mention space 43 is principally formed by the suction plane 21 of the vacuum chamber 18 and the conveyor belt 42, the vertical width of the space being twice or three times as large as the thickness of the sheet, one side of the space being defined by the adjusting plane 45 of the vertical plate 41 of the position adjusting plate 39, so that when the sheet A is deposited on the belt 42 after being released from the suction upon proper positioning being effected with the one side of the sheet A urged against the plane 45 while the sheet is sucked onto the suction plane 21, the adjusted position of the sheet is kept undisturbed. The front edge of the sheet is of course placed in position by the stopper 61. The both of the openings 29 and 29 of the timing valve being formed in an identical square shape, the communication area at the time the communication is effected between the openings can be varied largely within a relatively short period of time and accordingly, the sucking force of the vacuum chamber 18 increases rapidly thereby enabling quick suction of the sheet, while on the other hand, quick reduction of sucking power of the vacuum chamber in releasing the sheet can also be effected to release the sheet quickly.

Since the main body 16 of the suction mechanism in the present invention is merely inserted into the penetrating guide hole 44 in the vertical plate 41 of the adjusting plate 39, the position of the plane 45 of the adjusting plate 39 relative to the stopper 61 can readily and precisely be adjusted independently of the main body 16 of the suction mechanism by adjusting the screwthread engagement between the nut 52 and screw 46 in serted through the base plate 49 of the vertical plate 41, the adjustment being effected by the aid of the pin 49 provided with the spring holder 54 and spring 55- and penetrating the base plate. Thus, the sheets to be fed onto the cylinder can be adjusted to proper position readily and precisely.

What I claim is:

1. A device in a printing machine for adjusting the position of sheets of paper to be fed into a printing unit of the printing machine, comprising a suction mechanism of vacuum type provided with a sheet suction plane, a space for adjusting the position of sheets located in the lower position than said sheet suction plane, a position adjusting plate provided with one adjusting face and a driving mechanism for transferring said suction mechanism toward said position adjusting plate.

2. A device in a printing machine for adjusting the position of sheets of paper as claimed in claim 1, comprising air inlets produced on the sheet suction plane of the suction mechanism of which a vacuum chamber is communicated with an inlet duct, a penetrating guide hole of a vertical plate of the position adjustingplate for guiding the passage of the transferable vacuum chamber and a conveyor belt positioned, on a horizontal plate of the position adjusting plate, within the space for adjusting the position of sheets formed by the sheet suction plane, the adjusting face of the vertical plate and said horizontal plate.

3. A device in a printing machine for adjusting the position of sheets of paper as claimed in claim 1, wherein a timing valve comprises a stationary member provided with an opening connected to a vacuum pump and a movable member provided with opening communicated with the vacuum chamber through the inlet duct, said both openings being adapted to be communicated with each other in synchronization with the transfer of the suction mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,728,329 9/ 1929' Broadmeyer 271-59 1O RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner 

